To Be Or Not To Be
by glittersweg
Summary: Everyone knows the story of Big Ben crash. But what about the story that goes deeper - that was the cause of that? How did the Great Mouse Detective and Napoleon of Crime come to be? This is the story that no one has heard. This is the story of how it all started. Rated T just to be safe!


**Hello! I'm Glittersweg as most of you probably read. I love the Great Mouse Detective, and decided to try my hand in writing a fanfiction. I've always been interested in the origins of Basil and Ratigan. I'll do my best to stay true to the characters as I write what made them become what they are in the movie. Now, this is my first story so no flames please! Read & Review!**

**I don't own anything!**

* * *

"I swear, Basil, you are going to get us caught one day!"

Basil's eyes twinkled as he and his friend crouched behind a flower cart.

"Maybe, my friend, but that day is not today!" The tan-furred youth laughed, gleeful.

James rolled his eyes, not too pleased with his companion. Basil was smart but didn't seem to have a lot of common sense, seeing as how he always dragged James along whenever an idea struck him to create mischief.

"Ms. Mary won't like us doing this," James warned, eyes darting nervously around the crowded street. The orphanage owner didn't like the two enough as it was, and would be furious if she knew what they were up to!

Basil raised an eyebrow. "Ms. Mary doesn't like anything unless it has something to with dresses or fancy tea!"

The dark gray rodent rubbed the back of his neck, uncomfortable. "True . . . but it doesn't help when we do things like this." he shifted awkwardly behind the cart. James was too tall to be completely hidden, but Basil was a lot smaller and easily covered. "Why do we have to pull this prank, anyway?"

James' frown deepened as Basil pulled a sling shot out of his tattered pants pocket. "I thought you didn't like that merchant? He accused you of stealing and almost called the police! And you were just looking!" Basil growled, inspecting the stones on the ground.

James grudgingly handed Basil a round stone. "I don't need reminding!" James snapped, "But this might get us in more trouble!"

Basil loaded the sling shot and peeked over the flower cart. His dark brown eyes fell on the merchant's wagon, stocked with expensive vases and other antiques that only aristocrats could afford. The merchant himself was lazily leaning against the wagon, his fat belly poking out of his tacky shirt. Basil scowled at the arrogant smile that smeared the mouse's face.

Turning to his uneasy friend, Basil said, "Who cares as long as that guy gets what he deserves! He treated you unfairly just because you're a rat!"

Basil felt slightly guilty when James winced. It was an unfortunate truth. Rats weren't the most popular among the community and the reputations most of them had certainly didn't help.

"Sorry." The lame apology felt sour on Basil's tongue.

He just shrugged, not wanting to continue the discussion. Basil sighed, "Come on, James! He deserves it." James just shrugged again. Switching his attention to the matter at hand, Basil fixed his eye on the merchant's wagon once more.

He pulled back his slingshot and aimed.

CRASH!

A porcelain vase shattered once the stone made contact. Startled, the merchant gaped as the pieces of porcelain flew everywhere.

"What!?" His yell caused some people to stop in their strolls. Basil burst out laughing as the merchant opened and closed his mouth like a fish.

"Oh, James, you should see this! C'mon, hand me another stone." A devious smile formed on Basil's lips as James complied with a small smile. Soon, another beautiful vase met its demise. The merchant was looking around, looking caught between anger and confusion. Basil chuckled as he held his hand out for more stones.

This went on for some time; James would hand Basil stones, and multiple vases and antiques would meet their doom. All the while, the poor merchant was waving his hands in the air, shouting, and looking around for the unknown culprit. Passersby stopped to see what causing such a commotion. Some were chuckling at the merchant's comedic suspense while others were more puzzled than amused. Basil stooped back behind the cart; hand on his mouth to muffle his laughter. Smiling, James stared at the growing crowd now surrounding the merchant, in awe at the scene they had created.

"Want a turn?" Smirking, Basil held out his slingshot and a stone for James.

Now an excited participant in the prank, James pulled back the slingshot. However, a lady, who was watching the whole spectacle from afar, spotted James' lanky figure leaning out from the flower cart.

"It's those two!" the lady shrieked, pointing at the young rat. Surprised, James jerked as he let go of the sling shot. The stone launched through the air like a bullet.

Straight into the merchant's neck.

"Ouch!" Turning to see what hit him, the merchant made eye contact with a horrified James.

"Hey, you!" The merchant started making his way towards the flower cart.

"Uh oh." Seizing his friend by the shirt, Basil took off in a run with a stunned James in tow.

"Someone stop those ruffians!" The two males faintly heard someone yell as they focused on outrunning the merchant behind them.

"Basil, I'm going to kill you!" James shouted, dodging other people on the street as they ran.

Basil gulped as he glanced over his shoulder. "Get in line," he shot back, picking up speed. The fat merchant wasn't as fast as they were, but he was persistent. The chase went on as they all tried to avoid running into people, carts, and wagons.

"I'm going to skin your hides!" the merchant threatened, clumsily trying to go faster. Grabbing a handfuls of apples as they passed a fruit stand, Basil blindly threw the food behind him, hoping to slow down their pursuer.

"What is with this guy?" Basil huffed, throwing an apple that hit the older mouse in the stomach. Which only caused the merchant to increase speed and shout more threats.

Ignoring his friend, James spotted a large trashcan in front of them. _Maybe this will slow him down_, James hoped. Shoving a hand out, James yanked the trashcan behind. The trashcan smashed into the merchant, successfully making him fall.

"Good job, James!" Basil laughed, pleased by the sight of their chaser being taken down by a trashcan.

"Shut up and run!" James snapped, throwing Basil a glare. They didn't get a chance to as they ran right into two police officers.

"Got you two," the one holding Basil snarled. Basil scowled and tried to pull out of the policeman's iron grip, only earning a rough yank. The four heard the merchant laugh from his spot on the ground.

"Good job officers! Looks like ya caught two rats!"

James's expression darkened.

* * *

"I have never in my life been more humiliated!" Ms. Mary sobbed into her wrinkled hands.

Pausing in scrubbing the floors, James and Basil shared an uncomfortable look. Ms. Mary nearly died when she opened the door to them being restrained by policemen. After carefully explaining the situation to the hysterical, old mouse, the police informed her that charges would be dropped if the damages to the merchandise were off paid. When the police had left, Ms. Mary gave the boys a lecture that nearly made their ears bleed, and sentenced them to doing all the chores until she could calm down and think of more punishments.

"What will the neighbors say? 'Oh, that Mary is raising criminals not children!'" Ms. Mary fretted, her voice growing shriller with each word. Basil glanced at the quiet rat. This whole time James had been silent with an undeterminable expression, not even flinching once when Ms. Mary slapped them both during her lecture. Hopefully his friend wasn't too upset. The reason for that prank was to make him feel better. In Basil's eyes, that merchant deserved being knocked down a size or two.

"I want this floor to be scrubbed clean! I want to see my reflection. And when you're finished, I want you to scrub it again!" the orphanage owner ordered them, angry tears streaming down her cheeks. "Your demon hands deserve to be blistered and bleeding!"

"I think you're just looking for an excuse to have free maid service," Basil muttered, sarcastically. He was rewarded with a slap to the back of his head.

"You think this is a joke?!" Ms. Mary's gray fur was puffed out in anger. "You're both nearly sixteen, grow up!"

Rubbing the spot she hit, the light brown teenager smiled cheekily. "Well, I thought it was funny."

"AHH!" Ms. Mary screamed in frustration. "You two are so ungrateful! I put up with a lot from you, but this is the end of the line! I am not paying off those damages! You both deserve to be in a juvenile center!"

For the first since arriving back at the orphanage, James stopped washing the floors and spoke, "But, but - you can't! It's not right! It's not like we killed somebody!"

The elderly mouse fixated him with a glare that could scorch his fur. "Oh, but you're going to kill _me_ with all these rumors you two are starting up! I provided you two scoundrels with a home, food, and clothes and this is how you repay me!" Taking a step towards the smoky gray rat, Ms. Mary pointed a crooked finger at him. "And you're just a reminder that I should've trusted my better judgment. I should've known better than to take in a rat!"

James stiffened, mouth forming a grim line. Basil quickly intervened, "Ms. Mary, please reconsider. If the payment isn't met then even more rumors will get started if we're sent away." He flashed her a smooth smile.

The smile fell when Ms. Mary gave him a devious grin, showing off her cracked, yellow teeth. "Those payments will be paid. Not by me but by you two."

Basil's jaw dropped, "Only one problem . . . we don't have any money."

Ms. Mary simply shrugged. "Not my problem," she giggled. With that, she turned and left the room, but not before stopping at the table by the door.

"Oh, and Basil." Said mouse turned and scowled at her. The old mouse picked up the sling shot that the police had left on the table. "I'm going to keep this."

As soon as she was out of the room, James growled darkly under his breath, "That witch is going to pay."

Basil was silent for a few moments before he pouted. "She took my slingshot."

* * *

**Short? Yeah, I know, but things will pick up soon I promise! I hope y'all like it and review please! **


End file.
